Meddling and Murder

by Ovidia Yu

  ‘Madam?’

  ‘Prawn & pineapple cooked in coconut sauce,’

  ‘Use frozen prawns, okay, Madam?’ Xuyie asked. They had started using frozen prawns because Nina had not been around Aunty Lee to choose her own fresh prawns. ‘We still got quite a lot.’

  ‘Okay,’ Aunty Lee said. Sometimes you had to be flexible.

  She kept one eye on the television screen but there was no sign that they had found Jonny Ho. She checked her phone. There was still no word from Fabian.

  ‘Finish all the frozen prawns,’ Aunty Lee instructed Xuyie. Maybe she would get Nina to bring a special lunch treat over to the police post. But a look at Nina’s still wan face changed her mind. If not for Aunty Lee, Nina would not have spent days being treated as a prisoner. Aunty Lee would not interfere again. After all, the police seemed (finally) to be winning over the bad guys.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  Fabian?

  The burglars caught breaking into Helen’s house had all come into Singapore on tourist visas. None of them were foreign work permit holders who Singaporeans were so quick to blame when anything went wrong. The seven Chinese nationals had signed up to come to Singapore on a robbing rather than shopping spree, organized by a Chinese gang. They were all well off enough to have paid an agent for Business Class return tickets to Singapore and rooms in a rented apartment. The package had promised them access to easy burglary targets. Instead of shopping for souvenirs, they would steal them and transport them back home to sell. What they made would cover their expenses and leave them a good profit.

  Jonny Ho was their contact person in Singapore. He had provided them with construction worker clothes and information on rich Singaporeans’ houses and apartments that would be easy targets. None of the men captured seemed to know very much about him, but then they were tourists. All they knew was that Jonny Ho had offered to help them move money, goods, and even people in and out of China. It also seemed that all his business deals were fake. Poor Beth, Aunty Lee thought. But she couldn’t suppress just a little satisfaction, remembering how Beth had looked down on her own messy business practices.

  ‘Thank goodness they stopped them before they did their business everywhere like they did the last time.’ Helen Chan was crowing with delight when she phoned Aunty Lee to tell her how well Fabian’s plan had gone.

  ‘That was the worst of it. I made them do DNA tests on the pee and poo the last set of burglars did, but apparently none of them match. And there’s so much online. Like how Jonny Ho got Julietta to use her contacts to get men from the Philippines to supply fishermen to overseas clients like Taiwanese tuna ships.’

  ‘You cannot believe everything you read online,’ Aunty Lee said, even as she scribbled ‘online news’ on the ingredients needed list. Nina would know how to find these news sites. It was so good to have Nina back.

  ‘You know the newspapers here aren’t allowed to publish the really juicy stuff. That Jonny Ho and Julietta were working together! He never had a registered maid agency. He got Julietta to get other Filipino maids in Singapore to recruit from their home towns. The men would be promised high wages and asked to pay thousands of dollars in processing fees and for a plane ticket to Singapore, and they would come in on tourist visas, so no need papers. They found a whole lot of them locked up in a tiny room in Chinatown. And they have photos, but you have to pay to join the site if you want to see them so I didn’t pay. The room was full of urine and shit because they had been locked in there by a Filipino manager and his Chinese boss.’

  ‘And the police searched the office space that Jonny Ho was renting in an industrial building at 1 Commonwealth Lane and found Jonny’s buddies were making drugs there! Can you believe it? That one I saw the photos. But no big deal. It looked like one of those modern kitchens, or a laboratory. Full of glass bottles and heating equipment. Three men were picked up there.’

  It was just incredible enough to be true, Aunty Lee thought. Singapore was so safe and conservative on the surface that most people didn’t bother about what their neighbours were doing. And because Singapore was so hungry for money from Chinese entrepreneurs and cheap foreign labour, nobody looked too hard at where the money and the labour came from.

  That was probably what had drawn Jonny Ho to the island, how he had been able to use his looks and smooth business talk to get lonely women to trust him, Aunty Lee thought. She had not trusted him herself but she had felt sorry for him and might well have indulged him if she had been alone and lonely. Something still didn’t feel right. She felt Jonny Ho was a smooth-talker and small-time con man, not someone who could oversee drug kitchens and human trafficking. He had not even managed to set up a convincing front at KidStarters! Poor Beth, Aunty Lee thought, her dream school was going to sink along with its native Mandarin speaker. And he had not even been a very good speaker of Mandarin, according to Mr Guang!

  But facts were facts. Jonny Ho must have started by targeting the houses he was invited to with Patty. If Patty had suspected what he was doing, that would explain why she had stopped going out altogether.

  Unless, of course, Patty had confronted him … what would Jonny Ho have done if Patty accused him of robbing her friends and demanded a divorce? Had Patty chosen to avoid her friends or had Jonny Ho drugged her and kept her stupefied until he could get rid of her …

  ‘Did you actually talk to Patty?’ Aunty Lee interrupted Helen’s excited narration. ‘Last time. When she said she was too busy or not feeling well enough to meet up. Did you talk to her yourself?’

  ‘Sure I did. Until right before the end when she was in hospital. But by that time she wasn’t talking to anybody. Why?’

  ‘Just wondering if that Jonny Ho was stopping her from going out.’

  ‘You remember what Patty was like … nobody could stop her from doing what she wanted! But yes, I spoke to her, or to Beth. Poor Beth. I wonder how she’s taking it? Fabian said Beth only found out something was wrong when the police went to the house to look for Jonny; it must have been such a shock for her!’

  ‘He wasn’t there?’

  ‘No sign of him. His car, his passport, all gone. Missing. Fabian made sure the police checked out the whole house before he went back. He wanted them to take all Jonny’s things away; cheaper than calling a disposal company,’ he said. Helen’s giggle was girlish.

  Aunty Lee hoped Helen was not getting a crush on someone young enough to be her son. ‘But the police refused. You haven’t heard from Fabian, have you? He said he was going back to the house to wash up and dress up because of all the reporters who wanted to interview him. But they’ve been calling me because they can’t reach him. He hasn’t been answering his mobile, and I don’t want to phone the house in case Beth answers.’

  ‘Maybe he changed his mind about being interviewed and turned off his phone.’

  ‘That must be it. Funny, though. He was so excited.’

  Everyone was so happy the house break-ins had been solved, they seemed to have forgotten about Julietta, Aunty Lee thought. It was assumed Julietta had been a victim of either the China tourist gang or the still missing Jonny Ho. But it didn’t feel right to Aunty Lee. Burglar tourists didn’t make a special trip to kill a domestic helper. And why would Jonny kill Julietta whose help he needed? Either Fabian or Seetoh would have much better reason, though Aunty Lee didn’t want to think so.

  But if your meat is rotten, it is always better to know the worst than end up with food poisoning.

  ‘What’s wrong?’ Nina asked.

  ‘Fabian went back to the Jalan Kakatua house to change clothes, and he isn’t answering his phone. Helen is worried. But he should be all right because the police already went to search and Jonny Ho is not at the house.’

  ‘Madam Beth is there?’

  ‘Probably.’

  ‘Madam Beth does not like people using phones,’ Nina said quietly. ‘If Madam Beth does not want people to go out, she will lock the doors.’

  ‘Maybe we should go ove
r there.’ Aunty Lee tried to think of an excuse. ‘I should congratulate Fabian on his idea working. And it must be such a shock for Beth; I should bring her something … soup, maybe … ’

  ‘I will make the soup,’ Nina said. ‘You should tell Inspector Salim if we are going there. Just in case.’

  It was the first time since her return that Nina had mentioned Salim’s name. Aunty Lee wanted to ask whether something had changed, but Nina left to get soup stock out of the freezer. Aunty Lee phoned Inspector Salim on his mobile phone. There were things she wanted to ask him, and she was glad when he answered.

  ‘Aunty Lee, what’s up?’

  ‘Nina told me to tell you we are going to Jalan Kakatua to look for Fabian. Have you had lunch yet?’

  ‘Should be no problem. I have somebody there watching out for Jonny Ho. Just keep your eyes open, okay?’

  ‘One more thing. Since those tourist-housebreakers were not in Singapore when Julietta was killed, who do you think did it?’ This was a wild surmise on Aunty Lee’s part, so she presented it with all the more gusto. ‘And there was no reason for Jonny Ho to kill Julietta, right?’

  ‘We will be sure to ask Jonny Ho when we get a chance. But we are still looking for this Seetoh. Those obsessive types are dangerous.’

  ‘You shouldn’t automatically suspect the boyfriend, you know!’ Aunty Lee’s guilt over not telling the police about Seetoh earlier bubbled over. ‘He hasn’t done anything except get worried about her! He is a nice man.’

  ‘Seetoh has failed at two business start-ups. He borrowed money from his parents to get his taxi licence, and instead of trying to earn enough to cover his taxi rental, he’s driving around trying to find out what happened to a girlfriend his parents didn’t approve of. Wouldn’t you call that suspicious?’

  ‘Did his parents disapprove because Julietta was a domestic helper and they were worried he would never be able to marry her?’

  Salim chose not to answer this. He changed the subject. ‘Anyway, you might as well know Seetoh’s Dispatch company provided us with his taxi’s GPS records. Yes, he was stalking Jonny Ho, but he only started five days after Julietta went missing. On the night Julietta disappeared, Seetoh was driving a tourist couple around Sentosa. But we still have to talk to him.’

  ‘So, apart from Jonny Ho, your main suspect is Fabian Loo,’ Aunty Lee said. ‘Why haven’t you got somebody watching him? Are you going to arrest him? Can I bring him back to my place for lunch?’

  There was a pause. Aunty Lee got a strong impression Inspector Salim was laughing silently.

  ‘What’s so funny?’

  ‘I’ve missed you, Aunty Lee. Of course you can feed him lunch. He’s at his aunt’s house in Jalan Kakatua. He got back three hours ago and hasn’t left.’

  Nina drove Aunty Lee over to Jalan Kakatua. Aunty Lee had offered to take a taxi, in case Nina was uncomfortable meeting Beth again, but Nina ended the discussion by walking back to the house and driving the car over to collect Aunty Lee.

  Very little progress had been made to the renovations since the last time Aunty Lee had seen the house. She wondered if all Jonny’s ‘workers’ had been robber tourists. As she pushed open the unlatched gate, Beth appeared at the door, seeing off a young man.

  The man was not in uniform. But the easy grace of his well-developed musculature and attitude of respectful authority suggested he was a policeman. And a moment later, Aunty Lee was delighted to recognize him.

  ‘Timothy Pang!’

  During a previous posting to the Bukit Tinggi Police Post Timothy had been part of the team that solved a major murder case with Aunty Lee’s assistance (or interference). That, and commendations from Inspector Salim, had contributed to his rapid rise and promotion, which Aunty Lee naturally also took fond credit for.

  ‘Timmy Pang! Why you so long never come see me?’

  ‘Aunty Lee!’ Timothy Pang’s cautious surprise was replaced by a broad grin. ‘Long time no see! And Nina! I miss you guys. What are you doing here?’

  Aunty Lee had forgotten how handsome Officer Timothy Pang was, but now it made her suspicious. ‘You are not related to Jonny Ho, are you?’

  ‘Not as far as I know. But Miss Kwuan here just asked me the same thing.’ Timothy Pang nodded to Beth, who was glaring at Aunty Lee. ‘There must be some resemblance. I look forward to meeting this gentleman.’

  ‘So what are you doing here?’ Aunty Lee asked him.

  ‘I was going to ask you the same thing,’ Beth said to Aunty Lee with a smile that was more than halfway to a sneer.

  Timothy Pang glanced at her but answered Aunty Lee. ‘I’m in international affairs now. Just checking out something for our colleagues in Hong Kong. And you? Are you two ladies friends?’

  ‘Mrs Lee was a friend of my late sister. She lent me her servant for a few weeks. Illegally, of course, so please don’t tell and get her into trouble. Now I’m wondering whether that was to spy on me!’ Beth said with a little laugh. ‘And Fabian told me you manipulated him into coming back to stay in the house. You did, didn’t you? Told him to give this address to the police? He just landed on our doorstep with no warning.’

  ‘He had no more money,’ Aunty Lee said, ‘and this is his parents’ house, after all. Where else is the boy supposed to go? Where is he? I want to take him out for lunch.’ She turned to Timothy Pang. ‘Have you eaten lunch yet?’

  ‘Fabian is not a boy. He is an incompetent, irresponsible adult with anger issues. His parents spoiled him and let him get away with everything under the sun but I’m not going to!’

  ‘Where is he?’ Aunty Lee asked again.

  ‘Asleep. Sleeping off all the nonsense he got up to last night. He doesn’t want to be disturbed. You better leave now. I’m busy.’

  ‘Maybe his door is locked,’ Nina whispered urgently to Aunty Lee. ‘She likes to lock doors.’

  ‘Get out of here! All of you!’

  ‘Just a minute.’ Officer Timothy Pang’s voice was still low and reasonable but now the authority in it was unmistakable. ‘I would also like to have a word with Fabian Loo before I go. Please?’ He smiled at Beth, who stared at him. ‘We won’t bother you here. Maybe we can take him out for lunch.’

  ‘Yes, yes! I blanjah you all lunch!’ Aunty Lee said eagerly.

  But Beth turned away stiffly.

  ‘Just go away. I already told you he’s sleeping and doesn’t want to see anybody. I’m going to complain about you! I’m going to report you for harassment!’

  This reminded Aunty Lee of Beth’s report against Inspector Salim. Had that really been at Jonny Ho’s instigation? Beth seemed only too ready to do the same to Timothy Pang.

  Timothy Pang turned back to the house he had just been shown him out of.

  ‘You can’t come into my house without a search warrant!’ Beth shouted, pushing the policeman’s arm away and standing with her back to the door. She didn’t trust him not to push past her if she opened it to let herself in.

  ‘I am not searching your house, Miss Kwuan,’ Timothy Pang said with professional patience. ‘I am looking for Fabian Loo. He is a person of interest in our investigations.’

  ‘He is sleeping. You’ll have to come back another time. He told me he doesn’t want to be disturbed! I don’t want to make him angry!’

  The shrill alarm in Beth’s voice made Aunty Lee wonder what Fabian had done to her. Was there another side to the self-pitying, self-centred young man?

  ‘It is for your own protection.’

  Timothy Pang had clearly heard the same thing. ‘Where is Fabian Loo’s room?’ He addressed the question to Beth, but it was Nina who answered: ‘Top of the stairs on the left.’

  Officer Pang stopped to tap a message into his phone before gently pushing Beth aside and going into the house.

  Officer Pang knocked gently and called through the door: ‘Mr Loo? Can I have a word with you?’ There was no answer.

  ‘He’s asleep, I tell you!’ Beth shouted. ‘He didn’t get much s
leep last night so he took something. Don’t disturb him!’

  Beth’s harsh voice was more likely to disturb Fabian, Aunty Lee thought. She made her way up the stairs as fast as she could, Nina staying a protective step behind her. Timothy Pang, after knocking again, tried the door handle. The door was not locked. Timothy went in, followed by Beth, who was still fussing.

  But, as Aunty Lee reached the landing …

  ‘Don’t come in!’ Timothy Pang backed out of the room, pulling Beth along with him as he reached for his mobile phone.

  Aunty Lee ducked under his arm and into Fabian’s bedroom. Fabian was lying on the floor next to the bed. There was vomit all around him. Behind her she heard Timothy Pang requesting an ambulance: ‘Yes, he’s alive.’ She thought she heard Fabian moan softly as the police officer came to her side.

  ‘Should we put him back on the bed?’ Aunty Lee suggested. ‘More comfortable.’

  ‘Better let the experts move him. Do you have any idea what he took?’ This last was to Beth, who just wrung her hands helplessly. ‘Might be food poisoning.’

  ‘He had a weak stomach,’ Aunty Lee said.

  ‘Lucky for him,’ Timothy Pang said grimly.

  As they waited for the ambulance Beth said: ‘He may have done it on purpose. I was always worried he would.’

  ‘You mean suicide?’ Aunty Lee said. ‘Nah lah. Why?’

  ‘Guilt,’ Beth said flatly. ‘He and Jonny got into a big fight last night. I didn’t know what it was about, but Fabian was gloating and Jonny was angry. And then Jonny stormed out of the house and didn’t come back.’

  Fabian hadn’t been able to resist telling Jonny the police were onto the Chinese housebreaking gang, Aunty Lee thought with a sinking feeling. That was why Jonny had not been caught with the others. Once Fabian told him, he had run away and abandoned them.

  ‘The police are sure to find Jonny Ho. Even if he got up to Malaysia before they started watching out for his car, look how they caught Mas Selamat, and that one was much cleverer than Jonny Ho. But that’s hardly any reason for Fabian to get upset.’